


Just How I Dreamed, Baby

by In_Much_Stress



Series: Just A Random Playlist [27]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky Barnes Feels, M/M, Not Steve Rogers Friendly, Pre-Relationship, Smitten Bucky Barnes, The asshole, Tony and His Nicknames, but I'm still bitter so he's still a bit of a jerk, it's not that bad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:49:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25662376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/In_Much_Stress/pseuds/In_Much_Stress
Summary: James has a big crush on Tony, has had for some time now and definitely won't be stopping any time soon.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Series: Just A Random Playlist [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1639864
Comments: 4
Kudos: 257





	Just How I Dreamed, Baby

**Author's Note:**

> Você by Tim Maia
> 
> This actually was gonna be a commission, but I deviated too much from the prompt, sooooo... It's its own thing now!

It starts when Steve doesn't accompany him to an arm check-up.

Well, actually, it starts years before that, back when James— _ James,  _ not  _ Bucky _ and not  _ Asset— _ got himself out of the clutches of Hydra.

It doesn't matter where you go in the world, you simply can't  _ not _ be aware of Tony Stark.

You can tell James the world is Stark's and he'd believe you because, really, how far from the truth that statement can be?

So, yeah, James spent quite a lot of his time, when he wasn't having panic attacks and bursts of paranoia, watching one  _ Anthony Edward Stark—great name, quite fancy, makes James Buchanan Barnes sounds like an ok name because if Stark is able to be who he is then why shouldn't James be able to be?— _ shape the world, one smile and snarky retort and technological breakthrough at time.

Tony Stark is fascinating, James had found out, the more he watched the genius, the more it became clear. Which means James got really confused when some people painted a very wrong picture of the man. A spoiled rich brat wouldn't stop weapon production and go through the effort of steering an empire to a new direction. A playboy wouldn't date one woman and proudly brandish her accomplishments and brilliance, and still be friends with her when they break up. An egotistical asshole wouldn't look at a world that clearly was lacking and needing and give and give and  _ give. _

A narcissist wouldn't bow his head and ask for accountability from the people.

James never really liked the idea of hero worship—too many times people had looked at him, faded memories of a past life, like a noble hero fighting for what's right, instead of an unlucky nobody fighting the big people's fights for them—but he is able to admit that it describes perfectly what he felt for Stark back then, when he barely had a name for himself.

Tony Stark fits the role of a hero. A flawed man who tries to right the wrongs and refuses to stay down.

James admires that.

Sadly, his actual encounter with the genius is less than ideal by a margin the size of Steve's stubbornness. And Steve's stubbornness is  _ legendary. _

Being betrayed by a close friend who chose James over  _ everything else _ is hardly a good first impression. Add that with the fact James killed Stark’s parents—and it was him; involuntary murder is still  _ murder, Steve— _ and that he attacked the man in a knee-jerk reaction and, atop all that, left the man to freeze to death in a Hydra bunker in Siberia—James wants to cry every time he thinks about it because  _ he knows cold _ better than anyone and he left a good man in it like a goddamn moron _ — _ and you’ve got yourself the perfect reasoning behind any and all punishment Stark might have had in mind when the Rogues got their pardons.

Except he didn’t.

Sure, Stark didn’t even  _ look _ at James when they got “welcomed”—and he uses this word very loosely because Colonel Rhodes and the New Avengers looked one second away from actual, and justified, homicide—in the Compound, but it was better than the fiery glare that even made Steve back down from his attempt of a hand-shake. And then he avoided James at all costs except for the times he  _ couldn’t,  _ like the BARF sessions and, eventually, the arm check-ups.

Tony Stark proved himself a better man than all of them by getting James the help he actually needed. A therapist, a way to get rid of the trigger words, an arm so his body would be whole again. James Buchanan Barnes is slowly becoming a functional,  _ free _ human again and it’s all thanks to the man who has legit reasons to want him dead.

Stark isn’t even _rude_ in those short moments they’re in the same room, though James would prefer it to the polite coldness. He knows Tony Stark is warm, a star constantly burning, and it wretches his heart to see how cold the man had learned to be in the face of the world.

Doesn’t help that Steve hovers around like an overprotective guard dog. James isn’t violent—not anymore, not to those who aren’t a threat—but he has to admit that he sometimes wants to punch the blonde. Steve is not a bad guy, he’s a stubborn idiot that thrives on giving people headaches. Took  _ months _ for him to understand that James is not Bucky, has not been Bucky for a long time and  _ no, it doesn’t mean he’s still the Soldier, Steve,  _ and it’ll clearly take some more time for him to  _ accept it,  _ if the way his eyes gleam with expectation and his hopes get broken every time James doesn’t react like Bucky is any indication.

But he’ll get there.

Now if he’d only stop being a douche to Stark. Because Steve might not be evil, but he’s stupidly prideful, and when he puts in his head that he’s right, then he’ll die thinking so. Usually, that’s ok because he  _ tends  _ to be right, but when he’s wrong, everything goes to Hell. Steve is wrong about Stark, and there’s only so much James can do to correct that. Something tells him punching the truth in his face might not be the way to go, so for now he’ll stick with talking.

It seems to be working, anyways. Today dear old Captain is trusting Stark to not bring harm to his best friend and James is finally able to marvel at Stark’s workshop without a blonde wanting to backtrack. While Steve isn’t very fond of the future, thinking it too impersonal and shallow, James  _ absolutely adores it. _

And the man who represents it.

Stark looks already more relaxed without the presence of Captain America, sitting on the floor, surrounded by bits and pieces and holograms and tools. His hair is a mess, the tank top looks so old it’s almost see-through, the jeans are ripped, there is a splotch of oil on his cheek. So very different from the usually well kept man the ex-assassin is used to. James’ heart both sings and breaks; Stark looks precious like that, however it is proof that he feels the need to keep up a mask when Steve is near.

“Afternoon, Rock’em Sock’em! How are we this fine day?”

“Is that a robot?”

James really doesn’t mean to dismiss Stark’s question, but there is a  _ honest-to-God _ robot rolling around while brandishing a fire extinguisher, beeping like crazy, and  _ maybe _ he shouldn’t be that surprised since he knows  _ Iron Man, _ an android called Vision and the Compound’s AI named Friday, but it’s a robot that’s basically one arm with wheels beeping and rolling around. It’s so  _ cute.  _ How did he never notice it before?

“That’s Dummy.” Stark doesn’t seem bothered. In fact, his eyes gleam with mirth as he calls the robot. “Dummy, leave that thing alone! I swear, I’ll sell you to the next person I see.”

“Afraid I don’t have the money, doll.”

Instantly James wants to hit his head on the nearest wall. One does not simply try to friendly banter with the guy whose parents they killed. Doesn’t matter that Stark is clearly relaxed, doesn’t matter that his eyes twinkle with amusement, doesn’t matter that his smile grows a bit more fond…

Oh.

The man clearly hasn’t let down the thicker walls protecting him, the watch-gauntlet gleams on his wrist, there is no glass difficulting the many Iron Man suits’ movements if Friday ever decides to employ them, and James is certain the AI is recording everything, ready to call backup the first sight of trouble.

But they’re all precautions. Not threats.

“I’m sure we can work something out, Avalanche.”

Anthony Edward Stark truly is a better man than most.

Just as James knew he’d be.

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my [Tumblr](https://thiswriterisaltyasfuck.tumblr.com/)


End file.
